Two children - one male, one female - to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules. (p. 10)
Reaction:
In the story, the main character,Jonas, follows certain rules in his society and lives diffrently. His parents can only have two children- a male and a female- to complete as they call "a family unit". If my family were like that, only my big brother, me, my mom, and my dad would be in a "family unit", which means that my sister wouldn't exist in my life but in someone elses. Well I'm glad that didn't happen to my family and to everyone else. I also wonder if the people that live there want more than just a boy and a girl. Well, I'll find out in the next chapter!
Chapter 2
Quote:
"But to be honest, Jonas," his father said, "for me there was not the element of suspense that there is with your Ceremony. Because I was already fairly certain of what my Assignment was to be."
Reaction:
When you turn twelve in their society, in December, they make you whats called "The Ceremony of Twelve" and Jonas is apprehensive about it, or he says he is. But as the Father is explaining,they also give them an assignment, which is really a job. I would also be kind of nervous because getting a job at that age would be kind of weird because I don't live that way. Also, I would be nervous because the Elders would be watching me to see what assignment the give me in the Ceremony. Now I just want to keep on reading the book.
Chapter 3
Quote:
The apple had changed. Just for an instant. It had changed in mid-air, he remembered. Then it was in his hand, and he looked at it carefully, but it was the same apple. Unchanged. The same size and shape: a perfect sphere. The same nondescript shade. (p. 24)
Reaction:
What I wondered during this quote that I read was what changed in the apple then why did it come normal all of a sudden? My opinion is that maybe the apple was changed to another shape like a bird or something like that and when Jonas tried to study it for a moment it came down and looked like a normal apple. Maybe that was a warning sign not to take the apple from its place or somthing bad would happen. And after that something bad DID happen. There was an announcement not to take food from the center. Who knows but all I know is that it happened.
Chapter 4
Quote:
What happens when they make the actual release? Where exactly did Roberto go? (p. 32)
Reaction:
Roberto was a man who went to the House Of Old and after a while they released him from the city. The women says that they talk about the person's life when they release them and no one knows exactly where they go after that. I thought that maybe they go to another city or maybe just let themselves die in the outside world. Or maybe they go to a special place where they stay until their day of their death. But like the woman said, No one knows for sure.
Chapter 5
Quote:
You're ready for the pills, that's all. That's the treatment for stirrings.
Reaction:
Jonas had a dream that he later told his parents in the morning when they shared their dreams. After the mom had a talk with him and she told him that he needed pills to control what's called "Stirrings". It's kind like the feeling you get when you get older and finally have feelings for your opposite gender. But in our case we don't control those feelings using pills, in fact we don't control them in any way. But one thing I wonder is why do they need to controll those feeling? Is there a certain reason the people need to control them? Well, as we get into more of the book I will finally have those questions answered.
Chapter 6
Quote:
It was as if the first Caleb were returning. (p. 43)
Reaction:
The first child named Caleb drowned and then in the Naming and Placement ceremony, a newchild was named Caleb agian and they said that it ws like if the first one didn't leave at all. I felt sad for the first Caleb because right when he was given a family, he drowns in a river and he was never seen again. But after the new Caleb came they had this whole ceremony and I felt happy after the new Caleb was sort od replacing the old Caleb and it was like it never happened. Well now the book is getting slightly better but we're getting there!
Chapter 7
Quote:
He couldn't seem to stop, though for each lapse the discipline wand came again, escalating to a series of painful lashes that left marks on Asher's legs. Eventually, for a period of time, Asher stopped talking altogether, when he was a Three.
Reaction:
When Asher was a Three, he kept on mixing the words smack and snack. So every time he said smack the people that were taking care of him and the rest of the Threes,would take their discipline wand and hit him in his legs. Then he stopped talking for a period of time and when he finally started to talk again he said the right thigs this time. When I heard this i knew it wasn't the right thing to do because if a little kid makes a mistake in their language instead of hitting them they should correct their mistakes and tell them thats the wrong ward to use. That would've made the small Asher feel less guilty of mixing up words.
Chapter 8
Quote:
Jonas has been selected to be our next Receiver of Memory (p. 57)
Reaction:
In Chapter 7, during the ceremony of Twelves, the Chief Elder had skipped Jonas when it was his turn to receive his Assignment. Then, she apoligized and told him that he had not been assigned but selected to be the next Receiver of Memory. At first I couldn't believe that they had skipped Jonas and that he had not been assigned,but when i heard that it was just a mistake and that they called him and he was the next Reciever that amused me. At the end it got even better because the author kept me amused by saying this:"He did not know what he was to become.Or what would become of him." Wouldn't that keep you amused and wanting to read more? It did to ME!
Chapter 9
Quote:
"What happened to her?"he asked nervously.
But his parents looked blank. "We don't know."
Reaction:
During the ceremony the Chief Elder had told everyone that the last selection they had made for the Reciever had failed. After that Jonas got anxious to know who that was and what had happened to the person that was chosen before. But the parents did not know what had happened and if they did they weren't allowed to speak of it again. What I think might have happened is that she couldn't stand the physical pain that was brout an broke one of the instructions that were given to Jonas at the first day he got the job. Well whatever had they only know that she was never seen again and that they hd failed in selecting her as the Receiver. But they won't fail this time hopefully!
Chapter 10
Quote:
He couldn't imagine what the thousands of pages contained. (p. 71)
Reaction:
Jonas had never seen this much books before and he couldn't imagine how much reading the person had to do in order to finish these books. All the books he knew were the only the books he had at school and the book of rules. I wonder why they don't have access to all those books. Do they something that the citizens can't see? Maybe it contains the history of the past where they had things no one knew existed. Well maybe he'll talk about all those books.
Chapter 11
Quote:
"Why don't we have snow, and sleds, and hills?"
Reaction:
Jonas got the memory of sleds and snow and hills and he wonders why they don't have that in their society. So the Giver tells him that it's because of Climate Control. The snow made it hard for them to grow and unpredictable weather made it hard for transportation. They really do have the perfect society. But for Jonas his life might change after the experience he has as the Receiver. Or will it?
Chapter 12
Quote:
"We shouldn't have!" Jonas said fiercely (p. 91)
Reaction:
Jonas had been talking to the Giver about the change that had happened to Fiona's hair, the apple, and the people's faces in the ceremony. The Giver said that it was because he was seeing the color red and that they had taken color and sunshine and much more because the people chose Sameness. But, Jonas said that they shouldn't have taken away all that and made the desicion. I agree with Jonas and I think that they should have taken away all the bad stuff but not the ability to see color. But I guess the reason they did that was because they didn't want prejudice in their community to prevent fights between people. At least it has one bright side to being color blind!
Chapter 13
Quote:
"We really have to protect people from wrong choices."
Reaction:
Jonas still wants color to be in his community and he asks the Giver why they can't pick,if they had color, what shirt they would wear and decide. But the Giver said that if they did then they could make the wrong choice and thats when Jonas realises that what he said would be chaos. Thats one problem that I wish would go away in our society. I mean like people get married and then they get divorced. Also the people chose the paths they take and some end up as successful and others become robbers or they give up and suicide themselves. If whats in the book happens in the future, I'll be happy for everyone!
Chapter 14
Quote:
Would it grow up Elsewhere, not knowing, ever, that in this community lived a being who looked exactly the same? (p. 109)
Reaction:
At this point of the story, there is a woman who is going to have twins and only one of the babies can stay in the community and be given to a family. The way they are going to pick the them out is by their weight and the one who weighs less is going to be released into elsewhere. So, Jonas is telling his father that if the one who goes Elsewhere will never know that he has a twin in the community that was raised in a different way. I think that maybe they one day will find each other again if one visits the others community. But anyways for now they have the decision made but maybe they will change their mind somewhere in the book.
Chapter 15
Quote:
The Giver looked away, as if he could not bear to see what he had done to Jonas. "Forgive me, " he said.
Reaction:
In this part, at first when Jonas entered the Annex room, the Giver had a terrible pain and told Jonas to take the pain away of a memory. So Jonas took off his tunic and laid down on the bed and the Giver gave him the memory of warfare. Then when it ended the Giver knew it was a bad memory to give Jonas and felt guilty that he gave that kind of a memory to the next receiver in training. At that point I knew that the Giver was starting to like Jonas and to spend time with him in the room. So I knew that as time passed in the training that the Giver would care for Jonas more and more until he completely cares for him at the end. Could the Giver be Jonas's real dad?
Chapter 16
Quote:
"And they won't be part of my life anymore. . . And they'll be well cared for and respected." (p. 118)
Reaction:
The Giver just gave Jonas the memory where a family is celebrating Christmas and thats when Jonas sees that there were grandparents and the feeling called "love". Then Jonas sees that the grandparents are the parents of the parents and that they are not put in a seperate house that instead they can stay with their family. After, Jonas says that after he and Lily get older and have their own dwelling, his parents will live with the childless adults and after they go to the house of the old and they will no longer be part of his life and his kids will never know who their grandparents were. I think that they should let the grandparents stay with their kids be cared for and respected as well. That way they can have love again and everyone can be happy at their own things.
Chapter 17
Quote:
"Then I wave bye-bye," he said, in the special sweet voice he used when he spoke to the newchild.
Reaction:
Jonas's father was just saying that they are going to release one of the twins that the birthmother gave birth to. He explained to Jonas the process they do when they release the little twin that they pick. He said that first they weigh them in their hands and then they get him very comfy and cozy. Then they perform a small ceremony of release and then say goodbye. That's nice that they let some one take it from the community instead of leaving it stranded to die in the wilderness cold outsde world. Well, thats what i think they do to the people who get released. Right? Unless they do something else and just say they do that so people won't think its bad. Maybe. I'll find out sooner or later what they do to the people who get released.
Chapters 18-19 Sad REACTION!
After this chapter, I felt like just going into the book and stop it from happening and yell as high as i can. I couldn't believe that they did that to the small twin. It's just so terrifing to know that they killed a small newborn baby. Especially what happened to Rosemary. I mean, she killed herself after five weeks of training. If she knew that the Giver loved her and cared for, she probably would have never applied for release. Now I know where Elsewhere is. It's either in Heaven or in the other part. So, if Gabe doesn't make he will die! But won't all the memories Jonas gave him go to the people? Then they will find out that Jonas was giving him memories to make him sleep!
Chapter 20
Quote:
"Her name was Rosemary."
Reaction:
The Giver and Jonas have a plan for Jonas to escape the community and to leave with the memories. Jonas wants the Giver to come with him but he says that he can't because he's to weak. Then he tells Jonas that he wants to be with his dauter and Jonas asks him what her name is and he says that her name WAS Rosemary. I can't believe that Rosemary was the Giver's daughter! Maybe thats why she was selected as the Receiver because she was the daughter of the Receiver and they thought that she had the qualifications her father had in order to be the Receiver. So thats why the Giver felt so sad when she released herself and felt that it was all his fault for her death. Maybe he applied her for the selection because he thought that as the daughter of the Receiver she would handle all the pain and be strong. That means that if he wants to be with her daughter then he will apply for release and the whole town will get all the memories he had which is alot!
Chapter 21
Quote:
"First thing tomorrow morning."
Reaction:
Well Jonas is about to go out of the community and he hopes that everything will go well to the journey to Elsewhere. But while he spent the night with the Giver, Jonas's father tells him that that night he took Gabe to the nuturing center so they could see if he slept soundly without Jonas. But, he said that he cried all night long and the night crew couldn't handle it. So they said that they were going to Release him first thing in the morning the next day. I feel so bad for the little guy that he is going to die before Jonas leaves the community to find Elsewhere. Especially now that Jonas knows what they do to the people who get Released. But then they WILL know that the reason he slept so soundly was because Jonas gave him soothing memories. But can't they give him another chance i mean he just a few months old and they don't have to Release him just because he cries at night! The good part is that before Jonas leaves he takes Gabe with him and robs his dad's bicycle.
Chapters 22-23
Reaction:
What I think happened at the end was that they died of the snow storm they froze to death and as they died Jonas got the memory of the family at Christmas and the memory about the snow sled and the ride. If they went back to their own community then there would have been his mom and dad and Lily there in the little house. Also it said that the family was waiting for him to come to them Which means that they were waiting for him in heaven until he died with Gabe. And at the very end it says that they heard music and he heard people singing. Maybe they did make it to the little town but right when they got there they started to die and at the end it says that they thought they heard music far away and then it was an echo. At that point, they died and all they could hear at last was the echo of the Christmas carols at the final moment of life.
Chapter 1
Quote:
Two children - one male, one female - to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules. (p. 10)Reaction:
In the story, the main character,Jonas, follows certain rules in his society and lives diffrently. His parents can only have two children- a male and a female- to complete as they call "a family unit". If my family were like that, only my big brother, me, my mom, and my dad would be in a "family unit", which means that my sister wouldn't exist in my life but in someone elses. Well I'm glad that didn't happen to my family and to everyone else. I also wonder if the people that live there want more than just a boy and a girl. Well, I'll find out in the next chapter!Chapter 2
Quote:
"But to be honest, Jonas," his father said, "for me there was not the element of suspense that there is with your Ceremony. Because I was already fairly certain of what my Assignment was to be."Reaction:
When you turn twelve in their society, in December, they make you whats called "The Ceremony of Twelve" and Jonas is apprehensive about it, or he says he is. But as the Father is explaining,they also give them an assignment, which is really a job. I would also be kind of nervous because getting a job at that age would be kind of weird because I don't live that way. Also, I would be nervous because the Elders would be watching me to see what assignment the give me in the Ceremony. Now I just want to keep on reading the book.Chapter 3
Quote:
The apple had changed. Just for an instant. It had changed in mid-air, he remembered. Then it was in his hand, and he looked at it carefully, but it was the same apple. Unchanged. The same size and shape: a perfect sphere. The same nondescript shade. (p. 24)Reaction:
What I wondered during this quote that I read was what changed in the apple then why did it come normal all of a sudden? My opinion is that maybe the apple was changed to another shape like a bird or something like that and when Jonas tried to study it for a moment it came down and looked like a normal apple. Maybe that was a warning sign not to take the apple from its place or somthing bad would happen. And after that something bad DID happen. There was an announcement not to take food from the center. Who knows but all I know is that it happened.Chapter 4
Quote:
What happens when they make the actual release? Where exactly did Roberto go? (p. 32)Reaction:
Roberto was a man who went to the House Of Old and after a while they released him from the city. The women says that they talk about the person's life when they release them and no one knows exactly where they go after that. I thought that maybe they go to another city or maybe just let themselves die in the outside world. Or maybe they go to a special place where they stay until their day of their death. But like the woman said, No one knows for sure.Chapter 5
Quote:
You're ready for the pills, that's all. That's the treatment for stirrings.Reaction:
Jonas had a dream that he later told his parents in the morning when they shared their dreams. After the mom had a talk with him and she told him that he needed pills to control what's called "Stirrings". It's kind like the feeling you get when you get older and finally have feelings for your opposite gender. But in our case we don't control those feelings using pills, in fact we don't control them in any way. But one thing I wonder is why do they need to controll those feeling? Is there a certain reason the people need to control them? Well, as we get into more of the book I will finally have those questions answered.Chapter 6
Quote:
It was as if the first Caleb were returning. (p. 43)Reaction:
The first child named Caleb drowned and then in the Naming and Placement ceremony, a newchild was named Caleb agian and they said that it ws like if the first one didn't leave at all. I felt sad for the first Caleb because right when he was given a family, he drowns in a river and he was never seen again. But after the new Caleb came they had this whole ceremony and I felt happy after the new Caleb was sort od replacing the old Caleb and it was like it never happened. Well now the book is getting slightly better but we're getting there!Chapter 7
Quote:
He couldn't seem to stop, though for each lapse the discipline wand came again, escalating to a series of painful lashes that left marks on Asher's legs. Eventually, for a period of time, Asher stopped talking altogether, when he was a Three.Reaction:
When Asher was a Three, he kept on mixing the words smack and snack. So every time he said smack the people that were taking care of him and the rest of the Threes,would take their discipline wand and hit him in his legs. Then he stopped talking for a period of time and when he finally started to talk again he said the right thigs this time. When I heard this i knew it wasn't the right thing to do because if a little kid makes a mistake in their language instead of hitting them they should correct their mistakes and tell them thats the wrong ward to use. That would've made the small Asher feel less guilty of mixing up words.Chapter 8
Quote:
Jonas has been selected to be our next Receiver of Memory (p. 57)Reaction:
In Chapter 7, during the ceremony of Twelves, the Chief Elder had skipped Jonas when it was his turn to receive his Assignment. Then, she apoligized and told him that he had not been assigned but selected to be the next Receiver of Memory. At first I couldn't believe that they had skipped Jonas and that he had not been assigned,but when i heard that it was just a mistake and that they called him and he was the next Reciever that amused me. At the end it got even better because the author kept me amused by saying this:"He did not know what he was to become.Or what would become of him." Wouldn't that keep you amused and wanting to read more? It did to ME!Chapter 9
Quote:
"What happened to her?"he asked nervously.But his parents looked blank. "We don't know."
Reaction:
During the ceremony the Chief Elder had told everyone that the last selection they had made for the Reciever had failed. After that Jonas got anxious to know who that was and what had happened to the person that was chosen before. But the parents did not know what had happened and if they did they weren't allowed to speak of it again. What I think might have happened is that she couldn't stand the physical pain that was brout an broke one of the instructions that were given to Jonas at the first day he got the job. Well whatever had they only know that she was never seen again and that they hd failed in selecting her as the Receiver. But they won't fail this time hopefully!Chapter 10
Quote:
He couldn't imagine what the thousands of pages contained. (p. 71)Reaction:
Jonas had never seen this much books before and he couldn't imagine how much reading the person had to do in order to finish these books. All the books he knew were the only the books he had at school and the book of rules. I wonder why they don't have access to all those books. Do they something that the citizens can't see? Maybe it contains the history of the past where they had things no one knew existed. Well maybe he'll talk about all those books.Chapter 11
Quote:
"Why don't we have snow, and sleds, and hills?"Reaction:
Jonas got the memory of sleds and snow and hills and he wonders why they don't have that in their society. So the Giver tells him that it's because of Climate Control. The snow made it hard for them to grow and unpredictable weather made it hard for transportation. They really do have the perfect society. But for Jonas his life might change after the experience he has as the Receiver. Or will it?Chapter 12
Quote:
"We shouldn't have!" Jonas said fiercely (p. 91)Reaction:
Jonas had been talking to the Giver about the change that had happened to Fiona's hair, the apple, and the people's faces in the ceremony. The Giver said that it was because he was seeing the color red and that they had taken color and sunshine and much more because the people chose Sameness. But, Jonas said that they shouldn't have taken away all that and made the desicion. I agree with Jonas and I think that they should have taken away all the bad stuff but not the ability to see color. But I guess the reason they did that was because they didn't want prejudice in their community to prevent fights between people. At least it has one bright side to being color blind!Chapter 13
Quote:
"We really have to protect people from wrong choices."Reaction:
Jonas still wants color to be in his community and he asks the Giver why they can't pick,if they had color, what shirt they would wear and decide. But the Giver said that if they did then they could make the wrong choice and thats when Jonas realises that what he said would be chaos. Thats one problem that I wish would go away in our society. I mean like people get married and then they get divorced. Also the people chose the paths they take and some end up as successful and others become robbers or they give up and suicide themselves. If whats in the book happens in the future, I'll be happy for everyone!Chapter 14
Quote:
Would it grow up Elsewhere, not knowing, ever, that in this community lived a being who looked exactly the same? (p. 109)Reaction:
At this point of the story, there is a woman who is going to have twins and only one of the babies can stay in the community and be given to a family. The way they are going to pick the them out is by their weight and the one who weighs less is going to be released into elsewhere. So, Jonas is telling his father that if the one who goes Elsewhere will never know that he has a twin in the community that was raised in a different way. I think that maybe they one day will find each other again if one visits the others community. But anyways for now they have the decision made but maybe they will change their mind somewhere in the book.Chapter 15
Quote:
The Giver looked away, as if he could not bear to see what he had done to Jonas. "Forgive me, " he said.Reaction:
In this part, at first when Jonas entered the Annex room, the Giver had a terrible pain and told Jonas to take the pain away of a memory. So Jonas took off his tunic and laid down on the bed and the Giver gave him the memory of warfare. Then when it ended the Giver knew it was a bad memory to give Jonas and felt guilty that he gave that kind of a memory to the next receiver in training. At that point I knew that the Giver was starting to like Jonas and to spend time with him in the room. So I knew that as time passed in the training that the Giver would care for Jonas more and more until he completely cares for him at the end. Could the Giver be Jonas's real dad?Chapter 16
Quote:
"And they won't be part of my life anymore. . . And they'll be well cared for and respected." (p. 118)Reaction:
The Giver just gave Jonas the memory where a family is celebrating Christmas and thats when Jonas sees that there were grandparents and the feeling called "love". Then Jonas sees that the grandparents are the parents of the parents and that they are not put in a seperate house that instead they can stay with their family. After, Jonas says that after he and Lily get older and have their own dwelling, his parents will live with the childless adults and after they go to the house of the old and they will no longer be part of his life and his kids will never know who their grandparents were. I think that they should let the grandparents stay with their kids be cared for and respected as well. That way they can have love again and everyone can be happy at their own things.Chapter 17
Quote:
"Then I wave bye-bye," he said, in the special sweet voice he used when he spoke to the newchild.Reaction:
Jonas's father was just saying that they are going to release one of the twins that the birthmother gave birth to. He explained to Jonas the process they do when they release the little twin that they pick. He said that first they weigh them in their hands and then they get him very comfy and cozy. Then they perform a small ceremony of release and then say goodbye. That's nice that they let some one take it from the community instead of leaving it stranded to die in the wilderness cold outsde world. Well, thats what i think they do to the people who get released. Right? Unless they do something else and just say they do that so people won't think its bad. Maybe. I'll find out sooner or later what they do to the people who get released.Chapters 18-19 Sad REACTION!
After this chapter, I felt like just going into the book and stop it from happening and yell as high as i can. I couldn't believe that they did that to the small twin. It's just so terrifing to know that they killed a small newborn baby. Especially what happened to Rosemary. I mean, she killed herself after five weeks of training. If she knew that the Giver loved her and cared for, she probably would have never applied for release. Now I know where Elsewhere is. It's either in Heaven or in the other part. So, if Gabe doesn't make he will die! But won't all the memories Jonas gave him go to the people? Then they will find out that Jonas was giving him memories to make him sleep!Chapter 20
Quote:
"Her name was Rosemary."Reaction:
The Giver and Jonas have a plan for Jonas to escape the community and to leave with the memories. Jonas wants the Giver to come with him but he says that he can't because he's to weak. Then he tells Jonas that he wants to be with his dauter and Jonas asks him what her name is and he says that her name WAS Rosemary. I can't believe that Rosemary was the Giver's daughter! Maybe thats why she was selected as the Receiver because she was the daughter of the Receiver and they thought that she had the qualifications her father had in order to be the Receiver. So thats why the Giver felt so sad when she released herself and felt that it was all his fault for her death. Maybe he applied her for the selection because he thought that as the daughter of the Receiver she would handle all the pain and be strong. That means that if he wants to be with her daughter then he will apply for release and the whole town will get all the memories he had which is alot!Chapter 21
Quote:
"First thing tomorrow morning."Reaction:
Well Jonas is about to go out of the community and he hopes that everything will go well to the journey to Elsewhere. But while he spent the night with the Giver, Jonas's father tells him that that night he took Gabe to the nuturing center so they could see if he slept soundly without Jonas. But, he said that he cried all night long and the night crew couldn't handle it. So they said that they were going to Release him first thing in the morning the next day. I feel so bad for the little guy that he is going to die before Jonas leaves the community to find Elsewhere. Especially now that Jonas knows what they do to the people who get Released. But then they WILL know that the reason he slept so soundly was because Jonas gave him soothing memories. But can't they give him another chance i mean he just a few months old and they don't have to Release him just because he cries at night! The good part is that before Jonas leaves he takes Gabe with him and robs his dad's bicycle.Chapters 22-23
Reaction:
What I think happened at the end was that they died of the snow storm they froze to death and as they died Jonas got the memory of the family at Christmas and the memory about the snow sled and the ride. If they went back to their own community then there would have been his mom and dad and Lily there in the little house. Also it said that the family was waiting for him to come to them Which means that they were waiting for him in heaven until he died with Gabe. And at the very end it says that they heard music and he heard people singing. Maybe they did make it to the little town but right when they got there they started to die and at the end it says that they thought they heard music far away and then it was an echo. At that point, they died and all they could hear at last was the echo of the Christmas carols at the final moment of life.